Memories
by MakoStorm
Summary: What happened the night Hollow Bastion fell and how Yuffie met the others that fateful night. Meant to be a companion fic to my other story 'Don't Kill Your Memories' but can be read on it's own. Requested by a friend.Squiffie!


"Mama!" The middle aged woman turned and smiled as her six-year-old daughter tugged on her dress. "Yes love?" Yuffie huffed and crossed her arms, an overlarge shuriken leaning against her leg. "Where's papa?! He's supposed to train with me!" Her mother, Ayame, smiled. "He's already gone sweetie. We couldn't wake you."

"What?! You could've tried harder!" Ayame sighed and shook her head. "You sleep like a rock dear." Yuffie moaned and collapsed into a kitchen chair as her mother went back to the cookie dough she was molding into cookies on the counter top. A few minutes later a hand came down and ruffled the little girl's hair. "Aww cheer up pipsqueak, you can go next time." Yuffie glared up at her older sister and swatted her hand away bitterly. "Leave me alone Chihiro!" She grumbled as her sister grinned and eased herself into a chair, a hand resting on her bulging stomach. "Lighten up lil sis. It's not the end of the world." Yuffie turned away from her and pouted as she stared at the opposite wall. Chihiro only laughed.

Over the next three hours Yuffie found various things to occupy herself with. From helping her mother in the kitchen to bugging her sister and running when the young woman laughingly threatened to lock her in a closet. Her sister was in the middle of such a threat when the front door burst open and three heads shot up as Yuffie's father ran in, Chihiro's husband, Akio, right behind. Her father had his shuriken in his hand and was bleeding profusely from a head wound above his right eye. Akio had a gash along his right arm, which was limp at the young man's side. Chihiro and her mother were at their sides immediately, Yuffie staying back.

"Godo." Ayame gasped at his state. "What's happened?"

The warrior shook his head. "Get further in the house. Lock all the windows and doors." She hesitated. "Go! Now!" She quickly went to do as instructed, rushing through the house.

Akio collapsed to the floor and Chihiro screamed at the terrible wound along his back. "Akio!" Godo knelt to help, then sighed and shook his head. "We have to get you all somewhere safe."

Yuffie stepped closer. "Daddy?" Godo looked to his daughter and sighed. "It's all right my little one, we'll be fine." He sounded as if he was trying to convince himself of that fact. He wrapped one of Akio's arms over his shoulder and helped him struggle to his feet. "Up you get Akio, we must get out of here." Chihiro was at her husband's other side, helping him up as best she could in her condition.

Akio grunted and moved to stand on his own. "I am fine Lord Godo. Now let us leave this place." A scream broke out from Ayame upstairs and Akio grabbed Chihiro, staggering through another door.

"No! Not that way!" Godo shouted but they did not hear. Yuffie was crying now, looking to her father. "Daddy! Where's mama?!" Then her sister's screams rang out and the little girl covered her ears, collapsing on her knees. Godo looked pained but then he scooped his youngest daughter up, running to another room. Yuffie watched over his shoulder as a small black creature slid along the ground down the stairs, popping up when it reached the bottom.

Godo slammed the door and ran to a closet, pushing her inside and pressing her shuriken in her hand. "Stay here!" He said frantically, lifting his much larger shuriken as a whispery twitter came through the door. "Hide yourself!" Then he slammed the door and Yuffie slammed her fits against it. "Daddy!" But all she got in reply was the sound of the room's door crashing open and he father's cries as he fought for his life and that of his daughter.

Yuffie clutched her weapon to herself and covered her small body with a blanket, trembling as the noises outside ceased. She made sure not to make a sound as whispery sounds sounded outside. Soon they went away but she refused to move. Hours seemed to go by when another whispery twitter caused Yuffie's head to jerk up and she gasped, alerting the creature outside. The door was suddenly blown apart and Yuffie screamed, uncovering her head to see the massive heartless that had wondered into her home. She raised her shuriken in defense as it lunged but there was no need as it stopped dead, a wide blade protruding from its chest before it faded. Yuffie's eyes widened as she looked up at the young man standing before her. He was no more than fifteen, his deep eyes holding a fresh pain as he stared down at her. A makeshift bandage went diagonally down his face, blood seeping through from a fresh wound. He held out a hand to her and she crashed into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Her rescuer shuffled back a step from the slight impact and looked down at her silently, resting a hand on her head. Yuffie cried into his stomach as he stood there before he finally made her pull away. Yuffie looked up at his eyes and shook her head. "Mommy…Daddy…sister!!!" More tears leaked from her eyes and the boy sighed, scooping her up. "We have to leave." His voice was rather deep for someone his age. "Hold on tight, alright?" Yuffie nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, her shuriken in her hand. The boy walked out of the room and Yuffie saw her father's shuriken imbedded into the wall on the other side of the room, her father no where in sight. The little girl buried her face in the boy's neck as they exited the room and left the house.

A gasp sounded and Yuffie turned to look at a girl dressed in pink, her dress tattered and torn. "You found someone?!" She exclaimed. "I would have sworn the whole family would be gone!" She tried to take Yuffie but the six-year-old refused to let go. The young girl sighed and looked at her friend. "Squall…what of the others? What about Godo and the rest?"

The young man, Squall, shook his head. "Nothing. She's it. And Aerith…" Aerith cut him off. "I know, I know! Don't call you that, but it's your name Squall!" Squall shook his head and walked past her. "Not anymore…where's Cloud?" Aerith followed him.

"He went ahead to look for any heartless that might be in the area. He's clearing the way to Cid's airship." Who this Cloud was, Yuffie had no idea but had the feeling she would find out soon enough.

They ran on for a while until the whispery twitter reached Yuffie's ears once more and she looked back to see a group of the small black creatures rounding the corner. "They're coming!" She screamed and Squall immediately put her on her feet, turning with blade raised. "Aerith go! Take her and go!" A flash of silver suddenly flew past him and he watched as it flew through the group, eradicating them all. He turned as the shuriken returned to Yuffie's hand and blinked in shock. Yuffie smiled slightly, resting a hand on her hip. "You're not the only one who knows how to wield a weapon." It was strange hearing that from the mouth of a six-year-old.

Squall took this surprise in stride and scooped her up again, running around another corner with Aerith by his side. The soon met up with another boy around Squall's age with a large sword and blond hair the defied gravity. Yuffie just stared at him and his hair like he'd grown an extra head and he just stared right back until he finally sighed and addressed Squall, "Where'd you pick up the brat?" Yuffie immediately reached out her hand and hit him in the back of the head as hard as she could. "Ow! What the hell?!" He rubbed his head and glared at her. "The name's Yuffie! Remember it!" She practically shouted and Squall slapped a hand over her mouth. "Quiet! Both of you! Do you want to get us killed?! Now Cid's shop is right around the corner. We've been lucky with the heartless so far but keep alert." Everyone nodded and Squall took his hand away from her mouth and started leading them around the corner…

…Only to be met with a spear to his throat.

Yuffie gasped in fright before Squall spoke. "It's us Cid."

The spear was immediately lowered and Cid growled. "This it? You guys are the only ones who…?" They nodded sadly and Yuffie buried tearful eyes into Squall's neck again. Cid sighed and gestured for them to follow him. "Come on, the ship's in the hanger, it's already loaded with people who managed to make it." They followed him inside and heard a scream behind them. Squall whirled around in time to see a fleeing woman fall to a swarm of heartless.

Everyone ran on board the airship and Squall threw Yuffie inside before turning to defend the ship with Cloud while Cid fired her up. It took about two minutes before the ship was ready to take off. Cloud jumped onboard but Squall had the minor difficulty of now being surrounded by heartless. Yuffie's eyes widened when she saw one creep on him from behind and she let her Conformer fly. "Squall!" He swung around as the heartless was vanquished and Conformer returned to Yuffie's hand. The gunblader jumped on board and closed the hatch, sliding down the wall out of breath as the ship took off. Yuffie knelt in front of him.

"You ok Squall?" Squall looked at her and reached a hand out, ruffling her hair. "Thanks for the help back there kid, I owe ya one. And the name's not Squall; it's Leon." Aerith sighed sadly and tended to Cloud who had a gash along his arm. Yuffie looked to the window and peered out, tears coming to her eyes as she watched their world burn. "Squall…"

He sighed but looked up at her. "What?" She looked down at him then sat next to the gunblader and snuggled against him, making him tense slightly. "Will we ever come back? Is our world…gone for good?"

He rested a hand on her back and one on her head in a slight embrace. "I really hope not Yuffie. I hope we can come back someday." She buried her tearful face against him as the ship left the planet behind.

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Yuffie's eyes snapped open and she found herself staring at the ceiling of her room in Radiant Garden, her breath coming in slight gasps. She sat up, placing a hand to her sweaty forehead as she saw images of that night flash vividly through her mind. _I don't have that dream very often anymore._ She thought as she slipped out of bed and walked out to her balcony. Radiant Garden was dark as the city slept and the stars and moon twinkled and shone brightly above. It was only around one in the morning so dawn was a long ways off.

"It's been a while hasn't it?" A voice asked from behind her and she smiled slightly, turning to look at her "big brother". "Why do you always do that Cloud? I'm not little anymore; you don't have to watch out for me like that anymore." The swordsman shrugged and leaped from his place on the roof. "Don't matter how old ya are," He ruffled her hair and she batted him away playfully. "you're still gonna get watched over. If not by me than by Cid or one of the others."

Yuffie rolled her eyes but grinned at his ghost of a smile. "Squall's coming." Cloud stated, leaping onto the roof again and walking away towards his and Aerith's room. "I'll leave you to him." Then he was gone and Yuffie sighed in exasperation. He always did that! A few seconds later the sound of booted feet reached her ears and she turned to smile at Squall who was leaning against the doorframe leading to the balcony. "Well come on in why don'tcha?!" Yuffie complained playfully. "No need to knock or anything!"

Squall smirked slightly and walked up to her as she turned to face the city again. He rested his hands on her shoulders as he stopped behind her and she sighed, leaning back against him. "It's been a while hasn't it?" She said softly. "Since I had a dream from that night." He wrapped his arms around her and gave a sound of confirmation. She smiled softly. "I don't let it bother me though. After all…even though that's when I lost my family," She tilted her head back and grinned up at him. "it's also when I found you." She yawned and closed her eyes as she leaned against him. "Hmmm you're warm Squall…" He scooped her up in his arms like he'd done all those years ago and brought her back inside as she yawned again. He pulled the covers back and placed her beneath them, sliding in beside her like he did every time she had a nightmare. He kissed her forehead gently as she snuggled against him. "Thanks Squall….you know you and Cloud don't have to watch out for me so much…" He smiled slightly and held her tight. "Go to sleep, you could use it." She nodded and yawned a final time before succumbing to sleep against him. He ran a hand lightly through her hair as he relaxed. _We have to watch out for you Yuffie. It's what we're for. Whether to protect you from heartless or from you own memories. _And with that he allowed sleep to take him.

A/N: Definitely not my best work! XP This was requested by a wonderful friend of mine so I hope she enjoyed it no matter how crappy I thought it was.


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